Up against newcomers, Gurkirat Kotli eyes hat-trick

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, February 10

Industries Minister Gurkirat Singh Kotli looks to register his third straight victory in an unprecedented five-cornered contest from the Khanna Assembly constituency, the Asia’s largest grain market.

Having won his two previous polls in 2017 and 2012, an exception in Khanna, the Congress nominee, who became a minister in the rejigged Punjab Cabinet in September, has been pitted against new faces — Tarunpreet Singh Sond (AAP), Jasdeep Kaur Yadu (SAD-BSP), and Sukhwant Singh Tillu (SSM).

Lone to log two wins in a row from seat

• No nominee or party, except Kotli in 2017 and 2012, has registered two straight wins from Khanna since 1962, when polls were first held
• Congress’ Shamsher Singh Dullo was elected from the seat in 1992 and 1980, while SAD’s Bachan Singh won in 1997 and 1977
• The Congress has won the seat seven times, SAD five. The RPI had represented Khanna in 1967

The BJP has fielded turncoat Gurpreet Singh Bhatti, who had contested from Amloh on the AAP ticket in 2017 and Khanna on Manpreet Badal’s PPP in 2012. He had recently joined the saffron party.

While Kotli, grandson of CM Beant Singh, is banking on the 111-day performance of the Channi-led regime and his own services for the constituency, his opponents are raising the issues of lack of basic civic amenities, haphazard growth, alleged involvement in illegal distillery case, disconnect with the locals and discontent among a group of councillors.

Jasdeep Kaur, wife of controversial YAD leader Yadwinder Singh alias Yadu, who was facing multiple criminal cases, has replaced party heavyweight Ranjit Singh Talwandi, who had finished third in 2017 and had parted ways to join the SAD (Sanyukt).

Tillu, who was the national general secretary and halqa incharge of the SAD (Sanyukt), had quit the party after being denied a ticket. His wife Inderjit Kaur Pandher was president of the Dhindsa outfit’s women wing.

Bhatti is having a tough time persuading the local cadres of the BJP and its allies to move along. Sond is a leading businessman and had joined the AAP in January 2016.

Besides, Paramjeet Singh Rinka of the SAD (Amritsar), Sukhmit Singh Khanna of the Punjab Kisan Dal, Karnail Singh Ikolaha of the Revolutionary Socialist Party and two Independents — Raj Kumar and Paramjeet Walia — were also in the fray.

With an increase of over 6 per cent voters since 2017, Khanna has 1,69,510 voters, including 89,081 male, 80,427 female, and 2 third gender.

In 2017, Khanna had scripted history when Kotli retained the seat by defeating AAP’s Anil Dutt Phally by 20,591 votes. In 2012, Kotli had trounced SAD’s Ranjit Singh Talwandi by 7,278 votes.

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